'They can't speak up': Caitlin Clark headlines latest woke Nike ad that claims women are told they can't succeed

A new Nike commercial spreads the message that prominent female athletes feel berated and constantly told "how they should act."

The ad stars athletes like WNBA players Caitlin Clark and A'ja Wilson, along with gymnast Jordan Chiles and sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson.

The artistically black-and-white production shows each athlete in their sport and other scenarios (like photoshoots) while a voiceover from rapper Doechii explains how oppressively the female athletes are allegedly treated.

"You can't be demanding. You can't be relentless. You can't put yourself first. So put yourself first. You can't be confident, so be confident," the voiceover stated.

The ad continues, showing the women flexing their arms and celebrating as the narration goes on, "You can't challenge, so challenge. You can't dominate, so dominate. You can't flex, so flex. You can't fill a stadium, so fill that stadium. You can't be emotional, so be emotional."

Nike's explainer for the ad goes even further in terms of the supposed treatment these athletes have received. The brand states its marketing campaign is meant to speak directly to "athletes who lead and dominate despite constantly being told how they should act, what they can't do, and who they can't be."

'You can't speak up. You can't be so ambitious.'

However, Nike's chief marketing officer Nicole Graham gave a comment in the press release, which strangely wasn't anywhere close to the messaging of the ad. Graham said the company was "representing the voice of the athlete" and attempting to "inspire everyone to win, whatever that means for them."

The commercial makes more intriguing claims, though, stating women are told not to be ambitious and that they shouldn't have fun.

"You can't take credit. You can't speak up. You can't be so ambitious. You can't break records. You can't have any fun. You can't make demands. You can't keep score. You can't stand out."

The ad finishes with the on-screen tagline, "You can't win. So win."

This campaign was seemingly a continuation of how Clark closed out her first WNBA season, which involved apologizing for her race and attributing accomplishments to her skin color.

"I want to say I've earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege," Clark shockingly said in a Time interview. "The more we can elevate black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing," she explained.

About a day later, Clark contradicted her statements again while speaking with Time.

"I feel like I've earned every single thing that's happened to me over the course of my career."

Clark will start her second professional season with the Indiana Fever in May, with the 2025 WNBA season kicking off May 16.

The Nike ad appeared during the Super Bowl LIX broadcast. Ads were estimated to come with a price tag of $8 million per 30 seconds, according to CBS News.

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